The present invention relates to a waterproof connector, particularly to a waterproof connector in which one or more contacts are formed integrally with a housing made of an insulating resin.
Recently, electronic devices such as computers and mobile phones have been widely spread, and these electronic devices are normally equipped with connectors to be connected with external devices to transmit signals. Electronic devices are required to have an excellent waterproof function, and accordingly, waterproof connectors with waterproof properties have been under development.
In addition, to prevent transmitted electric signals from being affected by electromagnetic waves from outside, connectors shielded against electromagnetic waves have been desired.
Such a connector having both waterproof properties and electromagnetic wave shielding properties is disclosed in, for instance, JP 2012-59540 A. This connector has the configuration in which, as shown in FIG. 13, a counter connector accommodating section 2 accommodating a counter connector is formed in a cylindrical shell 1 made of metal, contacts 3 for establishing conductive connection are disposed in the counter connector accommodating section 2, and a housing 4 made of an insulating resin is formed by molding, e.g., insert molding, to integrally include the shell 1 and the contacts 3.
Each of the contacts 3 is formed at its one end with a contact section 3A exposed in the counter connector accommodating section 2 to come into contact with a contact of a counter connector and at its other end with a board connecting section 3B exposed behind the housing 4 to be connected to a board. A fixed section 3C between the contact section 3A and the board connecting section 3B is embedded in the housing 4 to thereby fix the contact 3 to the housing 4.
Since the housing 4 is formed by molding integrally with the contacts 3 to include the contacts 3 therein, a surface of the fixed section 3C of the contact 3 tightly adheres to the insulating resin forming the housing 4, and water is therefore prevented from penetrating from the outside of the connector, through a boundary portion between the housing 4 and the contact 3, to the rear of the housing 4, i.e., to the side at which a board having mounted thereon the connector is placed.
If, however, an electronic device to which the connector is attached sinks in water so that water enters the counter connector accommodating section 2 of the connector, water pressure P is applied to the portion of the housing 4 making up a bottom section 5 of the counter connector accommodating section 2 in a fitting direction, and due to the water pressure P, a shear force acting in the fitting direction is generated between the fixed section 3C of the contact 3 and the housing 4. As a result, the insulating resin forming the housing 4 may be separated from a surface of the fixed section 3C of the contact 3, thereby impairing waterproof properties of the connector.